Clarence House Papworth

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff adapt their approach to support individual children to settle into the nursery. They share information with parents, which eases the process. Staff get to know children well. Children develop close relationships with their key person. Staff assess children's development to find out whether they require further support. They plan and implement engaging activities that help children make progress. Staff understand how the activities they provide support children's learning and development. Staff sensitively support children's personal care needs. They follow children's individual routines and encourage children to develop their independence. Toddlers take their own shoes off before nap time. Pre-school children serve their own dinners and wash their own hands and faces.

Staff offer children in the different rooms opportunities to socialise together. Children enjoy having picnics outside in the afternoon. Staff manage children's behaviour proactively. They teach children the words they need to express themselves clearly. Staff model positive manners and remind children of these. They praise and encourage children. Children play contentedly in the nursery. They develop friendships and are kind to each other. Staff support children when they move up to the next room. They help children develop the skills they need to be ready for the next stage in their learning.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Staff keep children safe in the nursery, particularly when they are eating and sleeping. Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks. Staff have introduced staggered mealtimes. This helps keep children calm and gives them the opportunity to socialise with each other. Staff work with parents to keep children who have specific dietary requirements safe.
• Children develop their physical skills as they climb on equipment and balance on stepping stones outside. Staff across the nursery focus on supporting children's fine motor skills. Babies squeeze and pinch play dough. Children cut spaghetti with scissors and they chip away at balls of ice. In the pre-school room, children use different containers to mix 'potions'. They lift and pour from the jars, stir with spoons and unscrew small lids. They excitedly remember what different colours are made when they mix their 'potions' together.
• Staff support children's developing communication skills. They speak clearly, use gestures and give children time to listen and understand. Babies enjoy singing songs. They try to copy the actions and dance along. Staff teach children in the pre-school room descriptive words. Children learn that lemons taste sour. Staff read to children and send them home with books to read with their parents. Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress in their language skills.
• Staff provide a range of sensory activities that engage children. Babies explore the texture of oats and toddlers enjoy rolling different-textured balls in paint. Children spend time in the forest area, finding and counting ladybirds. This helps them to understand the world around them and develops their mathematical learning. Staff use naturally occurring opportunities to teach children and remind them of previous learning. Sometimes, staff do not provide appropriate challenge for children. This means that children do not always have enough opportunities to extend and develop their knowledge and skills.
• Parents are happy with the care the nursery provides. They appreciate the individual approach to settling children into the nursery as well as the relationships their children develop with staff. Staff carry out assessments on children's learning and they share this with parents regularly. Staff work closely with parents to support children who are toilet training. Parents enjoy attending the regular family events the nursery provides, such as the recent Easter egg hunt.
• Leaders have worked hard to improve practice in the nursery. They carry out regular supervision meetings with staff and provide regular training opportunities. This helps staff develop their knowledge and skills. Staff are developing their confidence with their teaching skills. They feel well supported by leaders. Leaders evaluate the nursery. They identify and make continual improvements. They have plans to develop the outside area to further enhance the learning opportunities for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• guide staff to consider the learning opportunities offered to children so that these sufficiently challenge and develop their knowledge and skills.